Cutting my hair

LD

Hi,
I hope this is the right place for this, I'm starting the Dip in September and I've been fortunate enough to get a teaching placement in a good school.
I'm a man with long hair, which I usually keep tied back and which isn't messy or full of split ends or anything, however it's been suggested to me that I might have to cut my hair to work in the school. The school doesn't allow the boys to wear long hair.

I have no intention of kicking up a big fuss when the school has been good enough to take me for a placement that will further my career ultimately, however I'm more upset than I thought I'd be at the prospect of cutting my hair, especially since I'll never have the opportunity to grow it back. I was just wondering does anyone have any advice on handling this situation? I have to correspond with that principal anyway and I was thinking of mentioning it at the end of a letter, just to make sure it's an official request rather than something I kinda should do.

Sorry if this seems trivial, but it matters to me. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Rosita

It's one of these things that is personally important so I would never regard it as trivial.

Not sure I could advise you but the one reason I replied is to say that I would be slow to put such a thing in writing. Indeed I suspect the Principal would be unlikely to reply in writing as it is hardly in the school rules for teachers - except many in an arguable 'behave professionally' kind of way - so he/she would hardly want to go on the record about it.

If I would broach it at all I would so as informally and 'by the way' as possible. If they have offered you the place at all then they are hardly overly-concerned about your hair.

Other might have more empirically based views.

gaeilgegrinds1

I doubt it is necessary to cut your hair, did they see you when they hired you? If so, they know you have long hair. As long as it is neat and tidy I doubt they would have a problem with it. It all depends on the school really. I was in a very conservative school for my Dip. My friend had purple hair and 5 piercings! I could not have done that. I'd be reluctant to put that into writing.

LD

gaeilgegrinds1 wrote: »

I doubt it is necessary to cut your hair, did they see you when they hired you? If so, they know you have long hair. As long as it is neat and tidy I doubt they would have a problem with it. It all depends on the school really. I was in a very conservative school for my Dip. My friend had purple hair and 5 piercings! I could not have done that. I'd be reluctant to put that into writing.

It's my old school, they had seen me about 10 months previously when I sang as a past pupil at a school function. I saw the teacher who teaches my subject about 3 months prior to being offered experience. I didn't see the principal or deputy head (in charge of uniform etc.) at this time.

They haven't exactly hired me since it's teaching experience. I suppose I'll have a casual enough talk with the deputy head when I see him to see if I really have to. I'll ask if it's ok tied back neatly. I suppose there's not much I can do if he says yes, having an ongoing disagreement in what will essentially be my place of work/study is less than ideal.

Makes me feel like a bit of a kid, I'd thought all this was behind me as an adult. Oh well.

gaeilgegrinds1

Apologies, used the word, 'hiring,' loosely. If they've seen it I'd say it's ok, if not perhaps not. You know what you have been expected more than any of us really particularly since it is your Alma Mater.

K4t

LD wrote: »

The school doesn't allow the boys to wear long hair.
.

Old thread I know but...is that even allowed in this day and age?! What possible logical reasoning could there be for such a rule?? I've never had excessively long hair myself as a lad but others in my school did have pony tails. And the vast majority of them were the least likely ones to cause any problems for teachers or other students. Someone please explain:eek:

TheColl

K4t wrote: »

Old thread I know but...is that even allowed in this day and age?! What possible logical reasoning could there be for such a rule?? I've never had excessively long hair myself as a lad but others in my school did have pony tails. And the vast majority of them were the least likely ones to cause any problems for teachers or other students. Someone please explain:eek:

It's nothing to do with that whatsoever, why would you think it would be?

It's simply about hygiene and cleanliness. I'm not saying I agree with schools completely banning long hair for boys, but they have a right to insist on their students keeping their hair clean and tidy.

peanuthead

TheColl wrote: »

It's nothing to do with that whatsoever, why would you think it would be?

It's simply about hygiene and cleanliness. I'm not saying I agree with schools completely banning long hair for boys, but they have a right to insist on their students keeping their hair clean and tidy.

Yeah I'm with TheColl on this one. While it matters not a jot to me personally, nor would it if I was a principal, I can see the reasoning behind it. I don't agree with it but can understand why it might be a problem for some, particularly those from another generation.

rainbowtrout

TheColl wrote: »

It's nothing to do with that whatsoever, why would you think it would be?

It's simply about hygiene and cleanliness. I'm not saying I agree with schools completely banning long hair for boys, but they have a right to insist on their students keeping their hair clean and tidy.

You're suggesting there that boys with long hair are not clean, tidy or hygienic which is a little unfair to them. There are quite a lot of boys in the school I work in with long hair and they keep it very well, better than some of the girls. Even the idea that boys would have to keep it in a ponytail but girls do not is ludicrous. It should be the same rules for both.

peanuthead

rainbowtrout wrote: »

You're suggesting there that boys with long hair are not clean, tidy or hygienic which is a little unfair to them. There are quite a lot of boys in the school I work in with long hair and they keep it very well, better than some of the girls. Even the idea that boys would have to keep it in a ponytail but girls do not is ludicrous. It should be the same rules for both.

No I don't think that he is suggesting that. I think he is saying that the presence of the rule suggests that. What I think he means, which is certainly what I mean when I say I'm with him on this is that although we don't agree with the rule, we see why its there. Someone else asked what could possibly be the logical reason for this. While admittedly it's not logical, that is the reason.

TheColl

peanuthead wrote: »

No I don't think that he is suggesting that. I think he is saying that the presence of the rule suggests that. What I think he means, which is certainly what I mean when I say I'm with him on this is that although we don't agree with the rule, we see why its there. Someone else asked what could possibly be the logical reason for this. While admittedly it's not logical, that is the reason.

Thanks, you answered better than I could have! That is what I meant. As I said, I don't really agree with the rule but there is a reason for it, and the reason is certainly not "boys with long hair are likely to cause trouble" as a previous poster seemed to think it might be.

Also, I teach in an all boys scool, so I can't make the comparison between with girls with long hair and boys. I can see why people would eel it should be the same rule for both. But in my school we insist on the boys' hair being clean and tidy. Clean so that it doesn't pose a hygiene risk for anyone, and tidy so that it's not constantly being fidgeted with or being brushed away from their face and generally distracting them.